Sometimes a beautiful project is the result of determining everything a homeowner doesn't want, instead of everything he or she does want. At least that's how it went for Winter Springs, Fla.based Water Creations when it designed this pool and spa combination. According to sales manager Dan Lewis, this project "started out with a homeowner who did not want his pool to look like the typical backyard in his neighborhood." In short, the client knew he didn't want a pool that looked like a pool.
With a space measuring only 26 by 50 feet, Water Creations constructed a backyard masterpiece beyond the client's expectations. By keeping the project close to the house, the builders worked around numerous oak trees, some of which were as tall as 40 feet.
The pool's deck is a hand-carved concrete overlay that wraps around the edge of the pool to waterproof it without tile. "It's all simulated rock, but our people that carve it are basically artists," says Lewis. "So when they do the carving, it's about as realistic as it gets." The overlay matches the custom-carved, concrete tabletop in the alcove nearby and accents the homeowner's chair and benches made of petrified teakwood from Thailand.
Water Creations intended for this project to strike a perfect balance between a sense of privacy and a feeling of connectedness to the outside environment. This was accomplished with a screen enclosure that surrounds the pool and a lower waterfall and is positioned for a clear view of the lake in the background.
